Sarasota Dining News from Chef Judi Gallagher

By Megan McDonald | October 1, 2013

Bits and bites from contributing food editor Judi Gallagher.

Q&A

A: Butter is made up of butterfat, milk solids and water. Clarified butter is the translucent, golden butterfat left over after the milk solids and water are removed.

Clarified butter doesn't burn as easily as ordinary butter, so you can use it for cooking at hotter temperatures. Butter will start to smoke at around 350°F, while clarified butter can be heated to at least 450°F before it reaches its smoke point. That's why chefs keep pots of clarified butter within reach.

To begin, gently melt a stick or two of unsalted butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a low heat. Let the milk solids rise. The foam on the surface is the butter's water content boiling off. The white residue is the milk solids separating out from the butterfat and water. Skim off the foam and solid residue.

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